Dominion of The Beast Masters

Chapter 79: Shattered Facade



The group stood in a tense silence, the weight of years of betrayal and unresolved hatred hanging in the air.

Eratz and Kenny finally faced each other, their history pressing in like a thick fog.

But Kenny didn't look remorseful or intimidated. In fact, a sly, confident grin curled on his lips as he stepped forward, daring to break the silence first.

"Well, well, look at you now, Eratz. All this power and still carrying a grudge? You always did have a way of getting things handed to you, talent, opportunities... but we both know you're just a fake. A cheater."

Kenny's voice dripped with venom, the accusation hanging in the air like a poisoned blade. Mercury's eyes narrowed as she studied Kenny, recognizing him immediately.

"Wait," she muttered, her voice icy. "This is the piece of shit that used to stalk me like a beaten dog."

Kenny flinched at her words, but he quickly turned back to Eratz, trying to regain his composure.

Mercury stepped up beside Eratz, her presence like a storm rolling in.

"You're the same creep who couldn't take a hint, still talking big with nothing to back it up."

Kenny shot her a sharp glance, his frustration bubbling over.

"This is your fault, Eratz!" he snapped, pointing an accusing finger at him. "You think you're so much better than me, but look at you now, you're hiding behind her! Always needing someone stronger to shield you!"

Eratz's expression didn't change. He stood perfectly still, his eyes cold, but otherwise, his demeanor was eerily calm.

He didn't immediately respond, letting the weight of Kenny's words linger.

Kenny, mistaking Eratz's silence for hesitation, pressed on, his grin widening.

"Don't think for a second that all this new power of yours changes what happened. You cheated. You were nothing without those tricks, and you still are. The only difference is you've got a few new monsters to hide behind."

He stepped closer, his tone growing more mocking.

"Everyone knows what you are, Eratz. And no amount of punching monsters or playing hero is going to change that. You're still the same coward who got kicked out for cheating."

Eratz finally spoke, his voice quiet, almost conversational.

"Cheating, huh? Is that still your story?"

Kenny's grin faltered slightly, but he forced himself to keep his confident facade.

"That's not just my story, it's the truth. You know it. I know it. And everyone else knows it. You got what you deserved back then."

The others around them shifted uneasily, sensing the tension growing thicker by the second.

Eratz took a small step forward, his eyes never leaving Kenny's, his voice calm but carrying an undeniable weight.

"You think you can keep telling that same lie? After all this time?"

Kenny scoffed.

"Lie? You're still pretending like you didn't rig the system? Please. You were always good at playing the victim. Always hiding behind your... beast tricks." He spat the last words like an/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

curse.

Eratz's gaze darkened, but his tone remained calm, too calm.

"You're still not owning up to it? Even now, after everything?"

Kenny sneered, feeling emboldened.

"Why should I? You were the one who got caught. You were the one who messed up. I just did what anyone would do. You're lucky you didn't get worse. All of this, it's your fault! Mercury, she... You've ruined everything!"

Mercury raised an eyebrow.

"What's with my name?"

"Is that what this is about?" Eratz asked casually. "You're even more pathetic than I thought."

Kenny snarled, trying to maintain his tough facade, but there was a desperation in his eyes

now.

"Insult me if you want, I was never the problem, you were! You and your little tricks, cheating your way through everything!"

Eratz fell silent for a moment, his eyes narrowing slightly. Then, with a quiet sigh, he said.

"You should really think about finding a religion, Kenny."

Kenny blinked, thrown off by the sudden change in tone.

"What?"

Eratz's voice was still calm, but now there was something dark, something ominous lurking behind the words.

"You're going to need something to save you if you keep pushing this."

Kenny's bravado cracked even further, but he quickly masked it with anger.

"I'm not scared of you! You're just trying to play the victim, like always."

Eratz shook his head, almost in disappointment.

"I don't need to scare you, for what I'm wanting to do."

Kenny's voice cracked as he tried to hold onto his anger.

The tension around them grew unbearable. The students watching from a distance could feel

the shift in the air.

Even Crystal, who had remained silent, felt a shiver run down her spine.

"You think you're so much better than me? You think you can just walk away from everything you did?"

Eratz's calm expression didn't change.

"You sure you don't want me to walk away? You've been running from the truth since that day, and you got away with the privilege of being ignored. Do you want to have something

worse?"

Kenny's face twisted with guilt and rage. His fists clenched, and he took a step forward, but Eratz didn't flinch.

Mercury stepped between them, her eyes flashing with fury.

"Back off, you idiot. You think you can do anything to him? Know your place."

Kenny glared at Mercury, his frustration boiling over.

"Why do you even care about him? He's using you! You think he's so great? He is a cheater who assaulted a girl!" Kenny shouted, his voice rising with false confidence.

Mercury narrowed her eyes.

"Now I really wonder how an idiot like you could manipulate so many people."

"Mercury," Kenny said, his voice cracking slightly as he tried to sound confident. "Why are you sticking with him? He's nothing compared to what I can offer. You and I... we'd make a perfect team. You don't need him. You need someone who can actually help you, someone strong who is not a criminal."

Mercury didn't even turn to face him at first. She glanced at Milo, and her lips barely moved, but her eyes said everything.

She was growing tired of Kenny's rambling, the nonsense spewing from his mouth and something dangerous was birthing in her mind.

"Mercury, come on! I was better than him, if you just gave me a chance, just a chance, it will be all the motivation I need," Kenny continued, growing more frantic.

His voice wavered, but he tried to sound bold.

"You know he's not on your level, right? He's been dragging you down all this time! You

deserve someone who knows how to treat a lady."

The students around him began exchanging disgusted looks. Julian rolled his eyes, muttering

to the person next to him.

"I don't know this guy, but he just doesn't know when to quit, does he?"

Another student scoffed quietly, "Pathetic."

Mercury's patience snapped. She turned toward Kenny, her face twisted with irritation. Her

fists clenched, and her eyes started to shine.

She took a step toward him, her presence alone sending a chill through the air.

"Eratz," she said, her voice low and dangerous. "Cover Colin and Milo's ears."

Kenny flinched at the sharpness of her tone but, before he could finish, the air around them

shifted.

Eratz stepped forward, his eyes locked on Kenny. The atmosphere thickened, as if the world

itself was holding its breath.

Then, Eratz unleashed his aura.

It was a dark, oppressive energy that seemed to suck the light out of the surrounding space. The temperature seemed to drop instantly, and an overwhelming fear filled the air.

It wasn't just power, it was the presence of something monstrous, like a demon hiding in the

dark.

The students felt it immediately. A few of them instinctively stepped back, their faces pale,

eyes wide.

The fear was palpable, as if every fiber of their beings screamed at them to

to get as far

away from Eratz as possible. Kenny, however, was frozen in place. His legs gave out beneath him, and he collapsed to his

hands and knees, trembling uncontrollably.

Sweat poured down his face, his heart racing so fast it felt like it might burst. His eyes were wide with terror, his mouth dry as he struggled to breathe.

It was the same feeling he'd had back in Grushia, when he'd faced a girl controlling ice, and

lost miserably.

Only this time, it was worse, he lost before fighting.

The weight of Eratz's aura pinned him down, suffocating him with its sheer intensity.

It felt like death had descended on him, its cold fingers wrapping around his throat, ready to squeeze the life out of him.

Suddenly, he felt lighter, and warmer. The texture of his pant getting damp.

Eratz took another step forward, his gaze cold and unfeeling as he looked down at Kenny.

"All this talk and this is what it takes to crush you, are you even a beast master?" Kenny's body convulsed, and he barely managed a whimper in response. He was utterly defeated by Eratz's presence alone.

Mercury, standing beside Eratz, didn't even glance at Kenny as she crossed her arms.

The sight of Kenny crumbling on the ground was enough for her to know that he had finally received an average punishment.

As Eratz turned his back to Kenny, the oppressive aura slowly faded.

The students were left in stunned silence, their eyes locked on Kenny, who was still on the

ground, trembling and drenched in sweat.

"Get a religion, Kenny, pray every day," Eratz said, his voice dropping to a near whisper.

"You made it personal. Next time, I'll use violence on you, and your correction would make what happened to Melcin look like a warm-up."

The moment Eratz walked away, Milo and Colin moved to join him, their eyes wide. Mercury

followed, not sparing Kenny another glance.

The weight of what had just happened settled heavily in the minds of the students.

A young man, who had watched the entire exchange, shook his head in disbelief.

"Kenny's always like this, isn't he?" he muttered to the others.

Another student, one who had been present during the Grushia tournament, nodded grimly.

"Yeah... always tries to act tough, but when it comes down to it, he's the first to fall."

One of the girls, standing at the edge of the group, glanced back at Kenny with a frown.

"Do you think... he really framed Eratz back then?... Ew, Kenny, what's that on your pant?" The students gathered around him for a better view, but question hung in the air.

In the distance, Crystal stood silently, her face unreadable, though her eyes were sharp, watching Eratz and Mercury walk away.

The aura of suspicion lingered around her, too, as the students began to wonder if Kenny was

really the only one responsible.

Behind them, Crystal stood silently, watching. She knew she had to tread carefully now.

A little later, Eratz, Mercury, Milo and Colin walked back toward Eratz's apartment, the cool

night air felt strangely refreshing after the tense confrontation.

But as they approached the building, something felt off.

The front door was slightly opened, swinging gently in the night breeze.

Eratz's face immediately darkened, his instincts flaring to life.

"Stay behind me," he said, his voice low.

They stepped inside cautiously. The apartment's usual calm, was now cold, the atmosphere

thick with something sinister.

Voices echoed in the walls.

Eratz opened the door left slightly opened, and his eyes fell on the last people he ever wanted

to see again.

Liora and Marcus, his parents.

The moment he saw them, his expression shifted dramatically. The calm face he had

maintained for so long cracked.

His face twisted with a deep, seething anger, his eyes narrowing and his teeth clenching.